Improvement in scythe-fasteners



C. L. BARRITT.

Scythe Fastening.

No. 29,661. Patented Aug. 21, 1860.

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UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE,

CHARLES BARRITT, OF'NEW YORK, N. Y.

lM PROVEM ENT IN SCYTHE- FASTENERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 29,661, dated August 21, 1860.

of the city, county, and State of New York,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Scythe-Fasteners; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full description of the same.

The nature of my invention relates to fastening scythes to the handles of scythes by attaching to the end of the handle, by any suitable means, a plate of metal having a center hole, and in its face a countersunk seat commencing at the center hole and expandingoutward, so as to conform to the shape of the shank of the scythe, though a little larger, so as to permit the scythe being hung with a greater or less sweep to accommodate the varying lengths of scythes and the conveniences of the mowers. This is done by small wedges of wood prepared by the mowers, and adjusted between the opposite edges of the shank of the scythe and the sides or flangesofthe countersunk seat. \Vhen thus adjusted a capplate is put upon them, and by means of a ring on the end of the scythe-handle and an iron wedge the whole are clamped together to form a solid fixture.

To describe my invention more particularly I will refer to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, the same letters of reference, wherever they occur, referring to like parts.

Figure 1 is a profile view of the scythe-handle and scythe attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cut section of the same through the line :0 m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is adetached view of the fastener-plate, having the shank of the scythe secured therein by wood wedges for the purpose ofregulatingthe hang ofthe scythe. Fig. 4 is a detached view of the cap-plate.

Letter (0 is the scythe-handle, having its end chamtered or flattened for the purpose of adjustinga scythe-fastener metal plate, I), thereon by means of screws 0 or other suitable devices. The form of this plate is an oblong square. In its upper face is formed a triangular countersunk seat, terminating at the apex, near the lower end of the plate, in a center hole, d, passing entirely through the plate.

Letters 6 are marginal ledges or flanges, about three-eighths of an inch deep, formed by thecountersinking of the seat. The, object of these sides or ledges is to form a support for the shankf of the scythe to rest against, or

against small adjustable wedges 9, when interposed between the edges of the shank of the scythe and the ledges forming the sides of the countersunk seat, so that the scythe may be hung at any desired sweep of stroke to accommodate its length and at the same time the efiectiveness of the stroke.

Letter h is a cap-plate, adjusted upon the fastener-plate so as to overlie the shank of the scythe, and adjustable wedges for holding it. The object of this is to hold the adjustable wedges firmly between the edges of the shank and sides of the countersunk seat, so that they cannot get out of place, and at the same time prevent their being crushed or splintered, as would be the case if not compressed by the cap-plate on their edges. It is contemplated that the wedges 9 will be made of wood, and thus leave the forming of the wedges to the mower to adjust to suit his own ideas of the best adjustment of the hang of the scythe. Iron wedges, therefore, are not desirable, unless great numbers Were to be used, besides their cost and liability to getting lost. And as adjusting-screws are adding greatly to the cost ofthe fastener, as well as their liability to loose their hold, consequentupou the constant jar of the scythe and by rusting, they have not been found practically as useful as wedges made of some hard wood, which, if confined, as

in my invention, they grow tighter in their places, in consequence of the absorption of the moisture from the grass, and thus, in fact, subserve a more useful purpose than any metallic attachment.

-To hold the cap-plate down upon the shank of the scythe and wedges, I use the common and well-known ring 9 and wedge It used by farmers generally to fasten the scythe and handle together.

Having now described my invention, 1 will proceed to set forth what I claim and desire to secure by Letters lfatentof the United States- The plate I), as described, for adjusting and holding the shank of a scythe by means ofadjustable wood or other wedges, in combination with the cap-plate h, andringand wedge j and k, or their equivalents, when used for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

CHARLES L. BARRITT.

Witnesses:

RoB'r. S. RoWLEY, B. RowLEY. 

